20 February 2015 - To boost delivery of humanitarian aid to internally displaced persons (IDPs) at the UNMISS base in Upper Nile State, Indian contingent engineers have begun building new roads to the protection site from Malakal and the airport.

“The road is strategically linking the (protection sites) with the town and airport,” said Major R.V. Krishnan, the project supervisor. “During the rainy season, these roads are completely flooded so we have to carry out the task in such a manner that will help the IDPs (to receive assistance) later on the rainy season.”

Maj. Krishnan noted that the 1.6 kilometre road would also ease transport for other residents of Malakal, especially traders moving goods in and out of town.

To help improve hygiene within the protection site, the Indians were also linking the drainage system within the protection site to the main one outside, he added.

Captain Sumit Kapur, a construction engineer, said that the contingent would also construct ring roads around the different protection sites on the base to enhance security.

“We are making a ring road that connects to the outer area of the main gate (where) the water point (is located),” he said. “The significance of this link is that it will allow the civilians (in the protection site) to fetch water (in a safer environment).”

Captain Kapur added that the ring road would ease movement of UNMISS patrols around the sites as well as delivery of humanitarian assistance.

The engineers had already completed constructing a new parking lot with space for more than 300 hundred vehicles within the base, he said. Part of this space would be used in distributing food to IDPs.